Implementation
Put together, all the above factors determine how a CRM
approach needs to be implemented. So in the rest of this chapter, we first
summarize the steps you need to follow to deploy the CRM approach successfully,
from planning through to systems acquisition and implementation. This is
followed by an in-depth discussion of the key requirements for getting a
positive rate of return on your investment in CRM systems.
Here is a very brief summary of the steps:
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Set up a CRM team, composed of people from the different
areas involved in managing customers. Make sure you get input from them at all
stages of the process.
-
Do a simple audit on your customer situation. Most companies
will of course benefit from the CMAT approach, which is the theme of this book.
The very smallest companies may wish to compile their audit from the coverage of
this book. This means answering questions such as
-
How much do your customers buy from you, and what are the
trends?
-
Why do they buy from you? Why do customers you want not buy
from you?
-
What is the situation with your main competitors? Who are
they, and who is being particularly successful in winning customers and
developing and retaining them? Why?
-
How would your customers like to be managed?
-
How much is it costing you to manage different customers or
types of customer? Are any making you lose money?
-
Decide which customers you want more business from, which to
retain, which are not worth keeping and which new customers you want.
-
Decide how and when you want to change the way in which you
manage your customers to achieve the required effect. Decisions here may include
changes to frequency and scope of contacts with customers, and to the
communication channels you use.
-
Decide what you are prepared to spend and over what period.
Try to find businesses that have been through this process. If you are
considering a CMAT, take up client references. Use their advice to help set your
expectations.
-
Develop an implementation plan, with actions,
accountabilities and budget allocated over time. Involve the staff who are going
to be responsible for delivering change.
-
Find ways of evaluating or testing your approach before you
decide on systems. This may involve adapting existing systems and even adding
manual processes. Find out whether customers really do respond positively to
your changes.
-
Decide what systems you need. Many systems suppliers
understand businesses' need to be sure that changes will work, so they support
early implementations of different modules of their integrated systems. You can
outsource some aspects of customer management, because outsourcing suppliers
have benefited from technology improvements, so it is easier to set up their
service for smaller customers. Outsourcing can be considered as a short or
long-term solution.
-
Develop a brief for systems suppliers. Ask around in your
business community to see which companies have a track record of success.
Consult the trade press. Browse the Web too. Smaller companies should realize
that many companies have adapted systems targeted at larger companies for use by
smaller companies. Smaller companies should normally deal with resellers.
Software producers generally focus on larger companies, using other channels for
small company markets. The key to successful implementation is a business
partner that works with you, not just sells you software (CRM in a box).
-
Send your brief to a selection of these companies.
-
When you evaluate their responses, listen to their advice
about what you are planning to do. Make your initial programme plan part of the
brief - this gives suppliers the opportunity to comment on feasibility.
-
Ask for references from companies similar to you - whether
size, sector, main business applications supported by the system. Find out
whether they succeeded in implementing changes similar to yours.
-
Make your choice.
-
Review your programme again with your chosen supplier, and
get their inputs into the programme. Modify it with them, involving your people
in any changes. Set clear milestones for both the installation and use of the
system. Gain responsibility and delivery commitments from the selected
supplier/s.
-
Implement the programme and start to manage your customers
better.
This is a simplified set of tasks - the bare minimum. If you
cannot afford consultants (this applies to some larger companies today, not just
to smaller ones) or systems resellers, emulate this process by yourself. Try to
hire someone who has implemented CRM in a similar company. If this guide is not
enough, there is lot of help available cheaply. Many books, research reports and
other publications are available at low cost - the co-authors of this book have
produced several. So browse CRM forums and publishers' Web sites. Look for
reports on what works and on what does not. If you exercise due diligence, you
will almost certainly get good results.
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